Law-enforcement personnel are usually authorized to carry protection devices (e.g., handguns, stun guns, pepper sprays, etc.) or other objects (e.g., pocket tool, handcuffs, dagger, passport or other identification, wallet, valuables, etc.) However, when working undercover or on duty in plain clothes, law-enforcement personnel can have a problem with telegraphing, which is sometimes referred to as “profiling” or “mapping.” The same problem applies to civilians licensed to carry concealed weapons. As used broadly herein, “telegraphing” is the tendency for a concealed object (e.g., a handgun) to show through the concealing garment, rendering the concealed object readily detectable by others. Known carrying devices worn by law-enforcement personnel and licensed-to-carry civilians do not sufficiently minimize telegraphing. Furthermore, when an individual is wearing only one or two layers of clothing, such as when the wearer is dressed appropriately for warm weather or for working indoors in a temperature-controlled environment, the presence of the carrying device becomes even more evident. In many instances, the carrying device itself, for example a holster, telegraphs the potential presence of the concealed object that it is carrying. Although many holsters and harnesses strive for ready accessibility of the weapon that they carry, the unfortunately often do not address the problem of “profiling.” Instead traditional holsters and harnesses, concealed or visible, are often bulky, uncomfortable to wear, expensive to produce and difficult to conceal. In addition, many holsters are limited in how and where they may be positioned relative to a user's often very specific preferences. Although some holster systems can be utilized in one or even two modes of carry, the inventor is not aware of any device that provides the flexibility to easily customize the position of a holster and conceal its weapon within an upper outer garment pocket, while also allowing for quick access to the weapon from the pocket.
Finally, it is well known that guns are often carried strapped to the legs of officers as well as under the arms of officers. Such devices used to holster these weapons also suffer from inadequacies, including the fact that the holster shifts when the person is trying to reach the weapon, the straps which support the weapon are uncomfortable, and further because of the fact that the holsters are bulky, a close observer can readily detect that the person is wearing a weapon.
Therefore, it would be greatly advantageous to provide the best of both an improved garment for concealing a weapon, designed for either right- or left-handed (or ambidextrous) users, capable of full concealment of the weapon, and which also permits easy accessibility and comfort of wearing of the weapon over a prolonged period of time.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need for an upper garment system that can carry, in a concealed and readily accessible state, a weapon, handgun, or other object. Additionally, there is a need for a garment system that is readily and easily adjusted to a wearer's weapon, preferred orientation of the weapon in the garment, and preferred method of accessing or drawing the weapon; e.g., from the right or left pocket, from the right, left, top, or bottom side of a pocket, and relative orientation of the weapon itself within the pocket.